10th Sep 2019, 3:27 PM – Representatives Motions - Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction; Attempted Censure - Let a vote happen

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Grayndler MP Anthony Albanese (Labor), which means it failed. The motion was to suspend the usual rules - known as standing orders - to let a vote happen.

Motion text

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Grayndler from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the only compliance investigation by the Department of Environment and Energy into alleged poisoning of critically endangered grasslands in the Monaro region relates to land owned by Jam Land Pty Limited which is itself part-owned by the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction;

(b) the Minister met with the Department of Environment and Energy and the office of the then Minister for the Environment and Energy, and now Treasurer, to discuss the listing of critically endangered grasslands while the department was investigating the alleged poisoning of the same grasslands on land owned by Jam Land;

(c) an FOI and an answer to a Question on Notice from the Department of Environment and Energy confirms the Minister has failed to declare his interest in Jam Land to the Department;

(d) the Minister has failed to declare his interests in Jam Land to the House as required by the Ministerial Standards and resolutions and standing orders of the House; and

(e) the Minister has repeatedly told the House he was representing the interests of farmers in his electorate but the Minister has admitted on ABC Radio Illawarra that he has been representing his own private interests, again in breach of the Ministerial Standards;

(2) censures the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction for repeatedly breaching the Ministerial Standards by:

(a) failing to appropriately declare his personal and pecuniary interest;

(b) using his ministerial office to advance his private interests at the expense of the public interest; and

(c) deliberately misleading the House; and

(3) therefore, calls on the Minister to resign, and if he will not, calls on the Prime Minister to immediately sack the Minister.